Care to be taken immediately after Wisdom tooth extraction

Wisdom tooth removal is a very common procedure and a traumatic one for the patient, wisdom teeth are either removed as a preventive measure for future impending complications when the tooth is not erupting in the correct position or the other situation is when the Wisdom tooth, be it maxillary third molars or mandibular third molars are impacted or get decayed or lead to pericoronitis or periapical infection. Following any diagnostic methods recommended by the dentist be it s IOPA or an OPG will help is deciding “when to remove Impacted Wisdom tooth”.

Depending on the type of Impaction, the Wisdom tooth removal is planned – Types of Maxillary Wisdom tooth (3rd molar) Impaction. There is Simple Wisdom Tooth removal which does not need bone cutting and this is less traumatic but in case the 3rd Molar is covered by bone and is impacted, it requires bone cutting and a surgical procedure is needed to remove the tooth. When Bone cutting is performed there is going to Swelling after wisdom tooth removal which is unavoidable and the dentist will instruct you about the same. The patient might also encounter wisdom tooth removal bleeding which is also common sometimes and your dentist will give you the instructions or you can read ahead the instructions to follow to help manage Wisdom tooth removal.

Here we are going to explain in detail the Tips and Care to be taken after Wisdom Tooth removal in an organized time based manner – First hour after Wisdom tooth removal, First day, care for second and third day. Wisdom teeth are also one of the most commonly extracted teeth and to know the reason click here – Why are Wisdom tooth removed most commonly

Care / Instructions to follow for the First Hour after Wisdom Tooth removal:

Immediately after the removal of Wisdom tooth and after leaving the dentists office the main thing you need to follow is

• “Bite down on the Cotton or Gauze piece firmly for one hour”
• Do not remove the cotton or Gauze piece from the site or extraction
• Do not change the pack for one hour even it becomes wet
• Make sure your tongue does not inspect the extraction site
• Do not spit or gargle for 1 hour, swallow the saliva or blood which fills your oral cavity (it is completely safe and the best thing to do)
• Do not Smoke or drink with a straw
• If the cotton or Gauze piece is dislodged from the site, replace it with a moist or wet piece as a dry piece might dislodge the blood clot
• Apply Ice pack from outside the oral cavity
• Never apply or have anything hot

Care / Instructions to follow for the First Day after Wisdom Tooth removal:

Once proper care is taken for the first hour after extraction, there will be formation of a organized blood clot and bleeding will be controlled and once that is achieved you have to follow the steps mentioned below divided into two categories – Things to do and Things Not to do after wisdom tooth removal.

Note: If you are seeing constant bleeding after 6-8 hours after extraction call up your Dentist and get it checked.

Things Not to Do first day after Wisdom tooth removal: More than the things to do, it is important to know what are things which are to be avoided to help in healing the extraction site faster and without any interruptions.

1. Do not Gargle or Swish aggressively till the 2nd to 3rd day after extraction
2. Do not Brush for one days after extraction
3. Do not touch the extraction site with your Tongue or fingers or any other object
4. Do not Smoke as it will lead to Dry Socket and it delays healing as well which is a very painful condition caused due to exposed bone and needs immediate attention
5. Do not Brush for the first day
6. Take rest for the first day after extraction and avoid any stress inducing work or even driving for long hours. Avoid any heavy lifting
7. If you are a fitness enthusiast make sure that you do not lift heavy weights as this might induce bleeding and delay healing as well
8.  Avoid Hot food or Hot drinks and never drink anything with a straw as this will dislodge the blood clot as well due to the increased negative pressure created
9. Swelling is normal post surgery which might start after 6-8 hours depending on the amount of bone cutting done. Never apply anything Hot or apply pain balms out side the extraction site as this will aggravate the swelling and pain considerably
10. Avoid chewing on food till the anesthesia wares off as you might unknowingly injure your tongue and do not chew on hard substances for the first day and avoid chewing gums or popcorn and similar substances which can get stuck in the extraction sockets
11. Do not try to open your mouth wide forcefully on the first day after surgery

Things to Do for First, Second and Third day of Wisdom Tooth removal:

It is important to maintain good oral hygiene so you need to Swish or Gargle gently and not aggressively – This has to be done after 24 hours of the surgery. Making a solution of lukewarm water with Salt in it is the best way to keep your mouth clean after surgery.

You can start brushing on the second day after extraction but with utmost care at the site of extraction, avoid rigorous brushing and brushing in a slow and organised manner is needed to keep the surroundings of extraction site clean and neat.

The swelling will be at its highest intensity for the second and third days after wisdom tooth removal and it will gradually keep decreasing from third day onward.

• Swelling after Wisdom tooth Removal – Duration, how to control

Some patients might develop Sore throat on the second day of extraction, there is no need for additional medication as the antibiotics given will be enough to help in decreasing sore throat after wisdom tooth removal.

With swelling and due to opening of the mouth for a prolonged period of time, you will be facing difficulty in mouth opening and mouth opening is restricted for 2-3 days after extraction. Slow stretching exercises from day  2 onward helps in loosening up the muscles.

What can I eat after Wisdom tooth removal?

This is one of the most commonly asked question and the most common doubt in every patients mind. Here are some of the things which need to be kept in mind for planning your diet post extraction.

• Do not eat any solid food till the local anesthetic wares off (you might injure your tongue)
• Take nourishing food which is not hot or hard
• Liquid or soft diet which does not need chewing is recommended for the first day after extraction
• From second day onward solid foods can be taken but not hot and spicy or oily foods
• Do not skip meals on the second and third day as there is swelling and restricted mouth opening it will be better to take liquid or semi solid diet till mouth opening is improved

These are the best Impacted Wisdom tooth removal or extraction recovery tips which we give our patients in our own Dental Clinic which have been shared here. Keep one thing in mind, no two patients are the same and no two wisdom tooth removal surgeries pan out in the same manner, so if you have any doubts regarding increased and prolonged bleeding or persistent pain after day 1 contact your dental office for expert opinion as there might be wisdom tooth removal infection post extraction which should be dealt with in the dental office immediately.